The present invention relates to a novel and useful liquid chromatography column apparatus which has a modular function. High pressure liquid chromatography techniques utilize pumps which have a pressure pulsation as a delivery characteristic. This pulsation has a tendency to disturb packing material in a liquid chromatography column. In particular, a void may develop at the top or head of the column where most of the separation occurs. Also "Channels" may develop at the interface of the packing material and the column wall. This deterioration is reinforced by chemical attack, high temperatures and other factors. In this regard, the initial packing of a column may also create discontinuities in a portion of the packed material.
Moreover, high pressure liquid chromatography columns encounter other problems in the form of difficulties in sealing a column against leakage. Conventional seals such as those marketed under the trademark "SWAGELOK" rely on metal to metal contact and metal deformation. These seals require the use of special tools to tighten the column and the expensive end fittings needed therewith are not reuseable. In this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,280 describes a cartridge type column which employs a sealing mechanism which may be hand tightened. U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,828 describes incorporation of a seal distributed under the trademark "BAL-SEAL" into the cartridge type column described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,280. The liquid chromatography systems described in these patents do not apply pressure to the packing material while maintaining seal integrity.
A liquid chromatography system which solves the hereinabove mentioned problems would be a great advance in the field of liquid chromatography equipment.